Chapter 1: hurt

"What is happening here?" she asked in a very low voice which was barely above a whisper.

Bernice's eyes darted from left to right then she began to shake from so much pain, the betrayal she felt was second to none,it cut through her like a very hot knife.

Hot tears spring from her eyes as she watches the scene before her.

This was unbelievable. Never in a million years will she believe that Ethan will do something like this to her.

She could have forgiven him right here and now if only he had done it with someone else then it might be better but it was with nobody but her best friend Olivia.

The shock was still plastered on her face as more tears streamed down her eyes.

He was the same person who had called her just a few hours ago that he had running temperature and he needed some money for drugs but here he was groaning and moaning with her best friend beneath him,both of them entangled in ceaseless ecstasy.

And to even think that she had turned down a marriage proposal from Italy's popular billionaire CEO because she thought the love they both shared was strong and genuine.

She began to step back a little as their moans grew louder driving her crazy ,she missed her footing and stepped on a crushed piece of paper and that was when both of them realized she had been in the room all this while watching them.

They immediately disengaged and the shock which was plastered on Ethan's face was enough to win a Grammy award.

"Bernice." He stuttered trying to cover his nakedness ,they both fumbled for the blanket .

Olivia was chewing gum and she pretended not to see Bernice trying to avoid her, and she finger combed her disheveled hair.

"We....I ... didn't know when you came back ." he said stupidly ." Why didn't you knock?"

She stared at him stunned and felt like reaching over to strangle him.

"Is this what you are supposed to say?"

"I thought you said you were running temperature ."she heard herself and bit down on her lower lips so hard that it brought out blood.

"I even came with the money for your meds." Then she shook her head trying to pull herself together.

"Why ? Ethan why?"She cried as her heart tightened breaking into thousands of irreplaceable pieces.

And to think she left her job at the restaurant just to come and see him .

To see this nonsense.

"I can explain." She heard him saying again as he tried to sit up properly.

"Ethan,you have been cheating on me with my best friend and all this while I thought that we were in love."She said her voice breaking.Ethan our wedding is in two weeks time."

She reminded him and began to weep .

"How could you, how could you do this to me?I thought you loved me?"

He looked sheepishly.

"I do,but please I beg you just forgive me."

"Forgive?" She chuckled bitterly

"You even have the nerve to sleep with her on my bed."

Ethan was her life, everything she thought she had found in a man, all his excesses and bad behavior, she had overlooked because she thought her love was enough for both of them.

But then she had died a thousand deaths when she saw this.

"Why would you do this to me?" she said again

He quickly wore his trousers and tried to approach her.

"Don't touch me."she warned him.

"Aww,come on ." he raised his hands in exasperation ." I have already apologized. What else do you want me to do? give you the statue of liberty?"

She stared at him in shock, her eyes dancing with fresh tears .

"Is this what you are saying?" She asked, her voice cracking with sobs.

As if that wasn't enough he continued."You should have given me a call that you will be arriving soon. "

While she was still trying to put herself together she heard a beep from her phone and she glanced at it and the message on the phone almost made her lose consciousness.

It was a message from her landlord.

Using the back of her palm, she wiped her tears. She was going to bring up the subject later but for now she needed to pay her house rent and also her tuition fees.

"Can I have the money I gave you two weeks ago?"

Ethan and Olivia exchanged funny glances and it seems they wanted to laugh all this while Olivia said nothing as she was still sitting on the bed chewing the gum.

"I don't have it now,"Ethan said.

"I don't understand what do you mean ."she said in a small voice. "That money is for the house rent and my tuition fees. What did you do with it ?"

"Can I just have a moment of Peace? He yelled, stamping his feet ."Just because of this little mistake you're already reminding me of past debts."

Her eyes widened still trying to process what was happening ."You call this little? Ethan we are supposed to get married."

"Oh please." Olivia said for the first time ." Who do you think you are?The college sweetheart?

*look he is mine so back off,she moved closer and dropped a kiss on the side of his neck while she watched on.

"So why are you still standing staring at us? You should get moving. He was mine first and we had been dating for six months but you had your head buried in your books to notice." Then Olivia approached her still hugging the sheets around her curvy frame.

"You are nothing but a twerp,a poverty stricken fool ." She said, jabbing her fingers in Bernice's chest ." You are so worthless and...."

Without waiting for another heartbreaking word ,Bernice turned around and ran out of the room running down the stairs with tears flooding down her cheeks.

She had to do it now,she can be betrayed and hurt but she won't be overcome by life troubles.

She scrolled down her phone and went through call logs to the unknown number that called her two weeks ago.

It was now or never.

On the second ring a voice came on the other end.

"Am I speaking to the P.A."

A slight pause.

"Tell Mr Fernandez that I have accepted his proposal."